Really looking forward to this. Our backs look good this year, and our forwards seem to have found a way to compensate for a lack of size, so am feeling fairly confident. That said, derbies are strange beasts...

Hope this turns out to be a good scrap, seeing as it's the curtain raiser to the main event.

The mullering of Widnes might be not such a good thing for the Pies. A good win before a "derby" (pah! ) usually means a defeat against your worst enemy.. Saints will be well up for it so I'm gonna tip them for the spoils.

Looking forward to this. I have been very impressed with Wigan so far and how they have combined as a team; young and inexperienced but very well coached and performing much better than expected in my opinion. Saints will have to match them early on up front and move the ball quickly in order to create the Wigan defence issues. If we play like we did at Warrington, I can see us winning in a tight game. If we don't, I can see Wigan murdering us...

Really looking forward to this. Our backs look good this year, and our forwards seem to have found a way to compensate for a lack of size, so am feeling fairly confident. That said, derbies are strange beasts...

EW's got a point about Wigan having such a strong system making up for season on season player losses. They have really surprised me this year.

Saints still have some big game performances in them for sure, and history shows us these games can go either way.

I'll go for a pies close win with Brown picking LMS on the wing and Wellens at prop. He could do worse (and did so at Huddersfield).

EW's got a point about Wigan having such a strong system making up for season on season player losses. They have really surprised me this year.

It is a system that every club in the league should be looking to emulate. Trust in the players coming through your system and develop them... it takes time to set up but Wigan this year show it is reaping the dividends.

It is a system that every club in the league should be looking to emulate. Trust in the players coming through your system and develop them... it takes time to set up but Wigan this year show it is reaping the dividends.

Top post, I'd love warrington to be in wigans position, with loads of talented LOCAL kids.... Shame on us all... IMHO

It is a system that every club in the league should be looking to emulate. Trust in the players coming through your system and develop them... it takes time to set up but Wigan this year show it is reaping the dividends.

Allegedly Saints already have such a system. It's just that we don't seem to convert the process into first team players very well, not least because we seem to hoard antipodeans.

Allegedly Saints already have such a system. It's just that we don't seem to convert the process into first team players very well, not least because we seem to hoard antipodeans.

Well it is obvious we don't have a similar system. We are able to produce good young players but lack the most important part of the Wigan model and that is the ability to bring those players through into the first team and ensure they develop through good coaching and 'faith' in their abilities to do the business. The likes of Crosby, Thornley, Flower, Farrell, Smith (!) etc are thriving this year on the faith and confidence that Wane and Lenaghan have placed in them. ALL clubs should be looking to emulate this; the game in the UK would improve immensely in my opinion.

Well it is obvious we don't have a similar system. We are able to produce good young players but lack the most important part of the Wigan model and that is the ability to bring those players through into the first team and ensure they develop through good coaching and 'faith' in their abilities to do the business. The likes of Crosby, Thornley, Flower, Farrell, Smith (!) etc are thriving this year on the faith and confidence that Wane and Lenaghan have placed in them. ALL clubs should be looking to emulate this; the game in the UK would improve immensely in my opinion.

Its persistence, hard work, long term planning, good coaching and solid management through the organisation. A different culture which is the complete flip side to how the club was run just six or seven years ago. A reasonable crop of young players at that time - O'Loughlin and Hock aside, failed to establish themselves long term at Wigan despite flashes of potential due to a over-reliance on ageing stars and quick fix overseas players.

Saints are by no means in the same situation, but there are some parallels with Wigan circa 2003 - 2008 in terms of holding on to players past their prime and persisting with under performing overseas players. Lomax is clearly a star, but it would be also good for the game for Gaskell, Makinson, Percival, Wheeler, Percival, Charnock, Ashe and Walmsley to get more game time when available. Saints can hardly be considered paupers in terms of youth development though having also produced the likes of Roby, Graham, Clough and Jones fairly recently.

Top post, I'd love warrington to be in wigans position, with loads of talented LOCAL kids.... Shame on us all... IMHO

These things take time - it's been a five year project to far. Warrington have nothing to be ashamed of, they are in a different part of the cycle with a lot of talented but ageing players in a very good team. Youth will have to play a part in the replacement over the next few years and even excluding young imports such as Myler, Hill and Ratchford, Warrington are far better than in the past with the likes of Riley, O'Brien, Harrison, Dwyer, McCarthy, Laithwaite, Evans, Currie, Cooper all having come through the system. They'll all get more game time once the old guard drift away.

These things take time - it's been a five year project to far. Warrington have nothing to be ashamed of, they are in a different part of the cycle with a lot of talented but ageing players in a very good team. Youth will have to play a part in the replacement over the next few years and even excluding young imports such as Myler, Hill and Ratchford, Warrington are far better than in the past with the likes of Riley, O'Brien, Harrison, Dwyer, McCarthy, Laithwaite, Evans, Currie, Cooper all having come through the system. They'll all get more game time once the old guard drift away.

Totally agree, we're in a better position than we ever had, still be nice to see more locals, but that's been discussed to death.

Seriously thinking of travelling down to Wigan on Friday, can anybody tell me if i can pick up a ticket for the saints end at Wigan club shop/ticket office if I order over the phone or on-line? Also can you sit anywhere in the stand?